MAUI HOUSE

A Bigger Life. A Smaller Space

Graham Hill is all about living small: keeping the stuff that brings true happiness, and getting rid of the things that don’t. He’s so passionate about this, he started LifeEdited, a company that teaches people about the joys of having less.

In Manhattan, he brought his LifeEdited philosophy to life, transforming his 420-square-foot apartment into an efficient, utilitarian dream. A side table transforms into a 10-seat dinner table. His office folds away, easily hidden. His bed, with the touch of two fingers, pops out of the wall. Move another wall, and guest beds appear.

But Graham wanted to take things a step further. To live small, yet off the grid – and without sacrificing luxury.

The results went beyond all expectations.

Paradise found.

Graham called this project LifeEdited Maui, a 1,000 square-foot home (in Maui, of course) that has four bedrooms, sleeps eight, and can accommodate 20 for dinner.

He infused many of the same concepts found in the Manhattan apartment –
beds that fold into walls, tables that expand, rooms that do double and triple duty.

But in order to go 100% off the grid, he needed solar power. Yet he had to mind his neighbors, and not block the gorgeous view, or the “view plane.” That meant the solar panels couldn’t be traditional silicon, which are thick, rigid, and raised – and definitely would have obstructed the picture-perfect beach scenery.

He needed a solar panel that was as innovative as his Maui house, one that generated solar power while embodying the small living philosophy.

Here comes the sun.

Philip Gao, Sunflare’s founder and CEO, had been following Graham’s work. “I’ve been interested in what LifeEdited has been doing with space and aesthetics, and overall sustainability,” says Philip. “To be working with them is fantastic.”

LifeEdited worked with the home’s metal roof manufacturer to pick a color closely matched to Sunflare’s panels so they would “disappear” into the roof.

The results were astonishing. Not only did Sunflare’s solar panels work cosmetically; they generated enough energy to keep the house powered 24 hours a day – as well as one electric car.

“Sunflare has the cleanest environmental footprint of any of the solar panels out there,” said Graham. “As a citizen that’s the most important. And the panels are so thin, so they nestle right into the standing seam roof, so from an aesthetic point of view, it’s great. Installation is super easy too. It’s held secure with roofing adhesive. Genius.”

LifeEdited Maui now produces more energy and water than it consumes. Besides solar power, it also incorporates innovative technologies and life-sustaining architectural designs like composting toilets and water catchment.

“We’re trying to make a really great house that has the functionality of a house much larger than it is and one that is extremely green,” said Hill. “This isn’t about sacrifice. We are creating a very compelling way to live.”